Passive Bridge Exercise: Restore Spinal Mobility and Release Deep Tension in 10 Minutes

9 min read • February 2026 • By Dr. Garrett Hewstan

Your spine is locked in flexion. Years of sitting have taught your body to stay bent. Your back is tight. Your hips are restricted. Your joints have lost the mobility they once had. You move like your body is a rigid structure instead of a fluid, functional system.

The passive bridge exercise does something revolutionary: it's a moving meditation that gradually restores the spinal mobility and joint freedom you've lost. Unlike forcing yourself into stretches, the passive bridge uses micro-movements and gravity to gently release decades of accumulated tension while simultaneously creating new space in your joints. For people with tight, restricted bodies, this is the exercise that changes everything.

Why Your Spine Lost Mobility (And Why It Matters)

Sitting is the epidemic of modern life. When you sit, your spine flexes. Your hips flex. Your shoulders round. Your chest collapses. Your entire body compresses into a bent shape. Repeat this 8+ hours daily for years, and your body becomes permanently shaped like a sitting posture.

The result:

• Your vertebrae lose the ability to move and articulate
• Your joints become restricted and immobile
• Your muscles tighten and shorten, locking you in flexion
• Your nervous system forgets how to access the movements you've lost
• Your hips, low back, and shoulders become chronically tight

This isn't just about pain. It's about losing functionality. Your body becomes less capable. Your movement becomes limited. Your entire physical experience shrinks to match your restricted posture.

The passive bridge reverses this. It doesn't force mobility—it invites your body to remember how to move freely again.

The Passive Bridge Mechanism: Gravity, Support, and Micro-Movements

The passive bridge works through a simple principle: when your body is properly supported by a block under your sacrum and gravity is gently decompressing your spine, your body can finally relax. And when your body relaxes, it naturally begins to move in small, spontaneous ways that restore lost mobility.

The Block: Proper Support Is Critical

The yoga block isn't just a prop—it's essential to the exercise. The block must be:

• Firm enough to feel secure (not soft, which creates shifting)
• Not too hard (no cork or wood that digs into skin)
• Placed at the sacrum (the flat bone at the base of your spine, not in the lumbar vertebrae or near the tailbone)

When the block is in the right place with the right firmness, your spine suddenly has support and space. Your low back decompresses. Your nervous system feels secure. Your body can finally release the tension it's been holding.

The Arms: Creating a Full-Body Opener

While lying on the block, your arms open wide. This is crucial—opening your arms creates a full-body chest and heart opener. For many people with tight shoulders, laying their arms flat initially causes shoulder pain. If this is you, simply bend your elbows and push them down into the floor. This creates "scaffolding" that displaces shoulder tension, allowing your shoulders to eventually flatten as spinal space increases.

The Micro-Movements: The Secret to Restoration

Here's where the magic happens: instead of holding a static stretch, you make tiny alternating movements with your feet. Lift your right foot slightly, breathe in. Drop it, breathe out. Lift your left foot. This simple alternating pattern creates spontaneous, organic micro-movements throughout your entire body.

These micro-movements are meditative and restorative. Your foot is the first domino—when it moves gently and relaxed, that movement ripples through your knee, hip, entire pelvis, low back, and spine. Space is created. Tension is released. Your body remembers how to move.

Who Should Do the Passive Bridge?

The passive bridge is specifically designed for people who are tight and restricted. If you:

• Have very tight hip and low back muscles
• Find it hard to move your joints through their full range
• Feel chronically stiff and restricted
• Don't have much flexibility in your body

...then the passive bridge is your exercise. It restores the mobility you've lost.

If you're naturally very flexible or hyper-mobile, the passive bridge alone might not be enough—you'd need the active bridge to build stabilizing strength. But for most people, the passive bridge is the missing piece.

What People Experience With Passive Bridge

Immediate (First Session)

• Your spine decompresses—you feel space being created
• Your low back relaxes for the first time in years
• Your chest opens and breathing deepens
• The exercise feels meditative and calming

Short-Term (1-2 Weeks)

• Hip and low back tightness noticeably decreases
• You can move more freely and with less restriction
• Spinal joints feel looser and more articulate
• Low back pain diminishes

Medium-Term (2-4 Weeks)

• Significant mobility restoration throughout your entire body
• Chronic tightness largely resolves
• Your joints move with new freedom
• Movement becomes easier and more natural

Long-Term (1+ Months)

• Complete restoration of spinal mobility
• Hip and low back function returns to healthy ranges
• Your body feels fluid and capable again
• With continued practice, you maintain this freedom

How to Do the Passive Bridge

Setup

1. Wear loose clothing — No restrictions, no belts
2. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor
3. Bend your elbows and push them into the floor to lift your hips
4. Place the block under your sacrum at the perfect "sweet spot"
5. Open your arms wide — Elbows relaxed, not straight
6. Position your feet shoulder-width apart (NOT close together)

The Movement

1. Synchronize breath with movement — In through nose, lift foot; out through mouth, drop foot
2. Keep your foot relaxed — The foot is the first domino; tension spreads
3. Make it meditative — Don't rush, don't force, let your body guide the pace
4. Alternate feet — Right foot up and down, left foot up and down
5. Listen to your body's innate intelligence — Sometimes lift higher, sometimes lower; follow what feels right

Duration and Frequency

Regular practice with appropriate duration is key. The exact timing is taught during your first session—listen to your body rather than the clock. Your body will tell you when it's had enough. Dr. Garrett teaches you to recognize these signals.

FAQ: Passive Bridge Exercise

What if I can't lay my arms flat?

This is completely normal for people with tight shoulders. Bend your elbows and push them down into the floor. This creates scaffolding that displaces shoulder tension. As your spinal mobility improves, your shoulders will eventually flatten naturally.

What if my feet keep coming together?

This is the most common mistake. It tells you that you're used to a narrow experience of your hips. Keep consciously widening your feet to shoulder-width. Over time, open hips will become your new normal.

Is it normal to hear my spine crackling?

Yes! Don't be afraid of it. The crackling and clicking sounds are your joints releasing stiffness and tightness. Your body is reorganizing and finding new freedom. This is exactly what should happen.

Can I do passive bridge if I have back pain?

If it's acute pain (just a few days old), rest. For chronic low back pain (long-standing), the passive bridge is often exactly what you need. Start gently and listen to your body. If there's sharp pain (not just soreness), stop and consult a professional.

Should I use a yoga block or something else?

Use a proper yoga block that's firm (not soft) and not too hard (no cork or wood). A soft block creates instability. A hard block is uncomfortable. The right block makes all the difference between an effective practice and wasted time.

Key Takeaways

• Sitting creates permanent flexion—your spine loses mobility and your body becomes restricted
• The passive bridge uses block support and gravity to gently decompress your spine
• Micro-movements restore mobility—foot as first domino ripples through entire body
• The right block is critical—firm enough to support, not so hard it's uncomfortable
• Regular practice with appropriate duration (listening to your body) restores spinal mobility and freedom
• Passive bridge is for tight, restricted bodies—perfect for reversing years of sitting damage